Thinking about returning to Ireland?

Do you work in the Life Sciences Sector or in a Process or Engineering related industry overseas?

Market overview

In 2015 the unemployment rate in Ireland dropped from 10.2% to 8.8% or in real terms that was 29,200 more people at work than twelve months previously*. In 2016 the number of people in employment is expected to rise by another 39,000**. One in every five private sector roles in Ireland are linked to IDA-backed Foreign Direct investment. That equates to an increase of over 11,000 jobs in IDA-multinationals in 2015 and more than 52% of those jobs are outside of Dublin***. These are very significant job growth numbers across the entire economy and in particular in the Life Sciences market. With this growth comes opportunities!

Life Sciences Market

The Irish Life Sciences Sector (Pharmaceutical, Biotechnology and Medical Device ) is currently undergoing a significant expansion. This growth is driven by a number of global and local factors including: -A global shortage of capacity in Biotech manufacturing -A lack of capital investment during the global economic downturn -Significant global acquisition/merger/asset swap activity -An increasing number of approved biotech derived drugs -Irelands Biotech training facility in NIBRT -Irelands excellent reputation for Quality, Compliance and Regulatory Control -The calibre, work ethic and talent of our people

This has led to new companies choosing to locate in Ireland (Regeneron, Alexion, BioMarin). Existing companies are upgrading their current facilities (Pfizer Grangecastle, Amgen, MSD Ballydine) and adding new facilities (BMS Bio, Eli Lilly IE43, Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals). All of this activity has led to a significant need for skilled professionals. The skills required are across all departments and all stages in the project life cycle from initial facility design, through construction, commissioning, manufacturing ramp-up and steady state manufacturing. If you have any experience in the life sciences market there are opportunities available to suit you today.

If you haven’t worked in Pharma or Biotech before don’t let that stop you from considering this move. We have recently placed candidates from a diverse range of backgrounds into life science companies such as a Process Engineer from Oil and Gas, Project engineers from Mining, Manufacturing Engineers from Electronics and Supply Chain experts from Food into Medical Device. Whatever your background be it scientific, engineering, supply chain or quality contact LSC and we can help you understand the life sciences market and how to take the next step in your career.

Prepare for your return to Ireland!

Location:

Think about where you want to live and why. For the first time in eight years there are opportunities nationwide. You could be based anywhere in Ireland now and be commutable to a Pharmaceutical, Biopharmaceutical or Medical Device company with major expansions occurring in almost every corner of the country including Limerick, Galway, Sligo, Cork, Athlone, Dublin, Westport, Tullamore and Waterford just to mention a few. So take your time, get the location right and then pick the companies within commuting distance.

Money:

Pay rates in Ireland are starting to climb again, but in general the rates are still lagging other EU members in certain skill areas. The rate of pay is definitely higher in Dublin than the rest of the country, but the cost of living is also significantly higher. Talk to your family and friends to understand the current cost of living in Ireland (Rent, Electricity, water charges, Insurance, Car etc) and figure out how much it would cost you to live per month. Make sure you have some savings (at least three months of living costs) to help you get through that first period as you are searching for a role. If you are lucky enough to have a job organized before you return remember you may not be paid until the end of the first month.

Jobsearch:

Update your Resume/CV and collect references and training certification so you are ready to go when you get back or better still apply for jobs before you get home. A lot of the recruitment process can occur via phone and e-mail prior to setting foot in Ireland. Over the last five years a significant number of new Life Science companies have set-up in Ireland and more are coming, so pick up the phone or drop us an email and LSC can help you to understand the market and find roles to match your search criteria.
Finally if you have been away from Ireland for a while it’s important to remember it rains a lot in Ireland.